Biochar extracts and method for capturing material extracted from biochar

• US 10,065,163 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2017
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Talipot Cool Extract (IP), LLC
• Original Assignee: Cool Planet Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Malyala, Rajashekharam, Traxler, Vern, Smith, Matthew William, Kim, Han Suk, Bontchev, Ranko Panayotov, Belcher, Richard Wilson
• Primary Examiner(s): Langel, Wayne
• Application Number:
  US15/588,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20170304791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/30 from material of plant origin, e.g. roots, seeds or hay; from material of fungal origin, e.g. mushrooms obtained by microbiological or biochemical processes, e.g. using yeasts or enzymes, A23K10/10
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/10 Organic substances
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/163 Sugars; Polysaccharides
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 40/10 by agglomeration; by granulation, e.g. making powders
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/90 for insects, e.g. bees or silkworms
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/44 Elemental carbon, e.g. charcoal, carbon black
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/1611 Inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/1652 Polysaccharides, e.g. alginate, cellulose derivatives; Cyclodextrin homeopathic globules A61K9/1623
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/1682 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/04 Heat A61L2/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/07 Steam
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/081 Gamma radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/012 characterised by being in a special form, e.g. gels, emulsions A61L9/048 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/014 containing sorbent material, e.g. activated carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2/00 Processes or devices for granulating materials , e.g. fertilisers in general; Rendering particulate materials free flowing in general, e.g. making them hydrophobic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2/12 in rotating drums
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2/28 using special binding agents
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/12 Naturally occurring clays or bleaching earth
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/20 comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/24 Naturally occurring macromolecular compounds, e.g. humic acids or their derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28019 : Spherical, ellipsoidal or cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3007 : Moulding, shaping or extruding
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3028 : Granulating, agglomerating or aggregating
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3042 : Use of binding agents; addition of materials ameliorating the mechanical properties of the produced sorbent
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3078 : Thermal treatment, e.g. calcining or pyrolizing
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/05 : Preparation or purification of carbon not covered by groups C01B32/15, C01B32/20, C01B32/25, C01B32/30
• CPC Class Codes: C05B 17/00 : Other phosphatic fertilisers, e.g. soft rock phosphates, bone meal
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 5/00 : Fertilisers containing other nitrates
• CPC Class Codes: C05D 9/00 : Other inorganic fertilisers
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 11/00 : Other organic fertilisers
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 3/80 : Soil conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/12 : Granules or flakes
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 17/04 : applied in a physical form other than a solution or a grout, e.g. as granules or gases
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 17/48 : Organic compounds mixed with inorganic active ingredients, e.g. polymerisation catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 17/50 : the organic compound being of natural origin, e.g. cellulose derivatives

Abstract

A method for capturing material extracted from biochar, the method comprising the steps of: (i) providing a biochar; (ii) contacting the biochar with a treating liquid, where the treating liquid causes the removal of solids from the pores and surface of the biochar, thereby creating a resulting solution comprised of the treating liquid and removed solids; and (iii) collecting the resulting solution.

Claims

1. A method for capturing material extracted from biochar, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a biochar that includes residual organic compounds;

contacting the biochar with a treating liquid, wherein the treating liquid removes at least some of the residual organic compounds from the biochar, thereby creating a biochar extract containing residual organic compounds;

separating the biochar from the biochar extract; and

collecting the biochar extract from which the biochar has been separated for further use and/or processing separate from, or prior to, disposal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the treating liquid is water.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the residual organic compounds comprise volatile organic compounds.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein contacting the biochar with a treating liquid comprises:

introducing the biochar to a chamber;

adding the treating liquid to the chamber; and

changing the pressure in the chamber.

5. The method of claim 4 where the treating liquid is added to the chamber before the pressure in the chamber is changed.

6. The method of claim 4 where the treating liquid is added to the chamber while the pressure in the chamber is changed.

7. The method of claim 6 where the pressure is changed in the chamber by either pulling a vacuum on the chamber or applying positive pressure on the content of the chamber.

8. The biochar extract produced by the method of claim 1 from which the biochar has been separated.

9. A method for capturing material extracted from biochar, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a biochar;

introducing the biochar to a chamber;

adding a treating liquid to the chamber; and

changing the pressure in the chamber, wherein changing the pressure in the chamber causes the treating liquid to remove solids from the pores and surface of the biochar, thereby creating a resulting solution comprised of the treating liquid and removed solids;

separating the biochar from the resulting solution; and

collecting the solution from which the biochar has been separated for further use and/or processing separate from, or prior to, disposal.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the treating liquid includes a targeted solvent capable of removing a compound from the pores and surface of the biochar.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the removed solids are at least partially dissolved in the resulting solution.

12. The method of claim 9 where the pressure is changed in the chamber by either pulling a vacuum on the chamber or applying positive pressure on the content of the chamber.

13. The method of claim 9 where the solids removed from the pores and surface of the biochar are biochar fines.

14. The method of claim 9 where the solids removed from the pores and surface of the biochar are residual organic compounds.

15. The method of claim 9 where the solids removed from the pores and surface of the biochar are dioxins.

16. The solution produced by the method of claim 9 from which the biochar has been separated.

17. A method for capturing material extracted from biochar, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a biochar;

contacting the biochar with a treating liquid, where the treating liquid causes the removal of solids from the pores and surface of the biochar, thereby creating a resulting solution comprised of the treating liquid and removed solids;

separating the biochar from the solution from which the biochar has been separated; and

collecting the resulting solution for further use and/or processing separate from, or prior to, disposal.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the treating liquid includes a targeted solvent capable of removing a compound from the pores and surface of the biochar.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the removed solids are at least partially dissolved in the resulting solution.

20. The method of claim 17 where the solids removed from the pores and surface of the biochar are biochar fines.

21. The method of claim 17 where the solids removed from the pores and surface of the biochar are residual organic compounds.

22. The method of claim 17 where the solids removed from the pores and surface of the biochar are dioxins.

23. The solution produced by the method of claim 17 from which the biochar has been separated.

24. A method for capturing material extracted from biochar, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a biochar;

introducing the biochar to a chamber at atmospheric pressure;

adding a treating liquid to the chamber to contact the biochar with the treating liquid;

pulling a vacuum on the chamber for a predetermined period of time and then returning the pressure in the chamber to atmospheric pressure, where the treating liquid causes the removal of solids from the pores and surface of the biochar, thereby creating a resulting solution comprised of the treating liquid and removed solids;

separating the biochar from the resulting solution; and

collecting the solution from which the biochar has been separated for further use and/or processing separate from, or prior to, disposal.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the treating liquid includes a targeted solvent capable of removing a compound from the pores and surface of the biochar.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the removed solids are at least partially dissolved in the resulting solution.

27. The method of claim 24 where the solids removed from the pores and surface of the biochar are biochar fines.

28. The method of claim 24 where the solids removed from the pores and surface of the biochar are residual organic compounds.

29. The method of claim 24 where the solids removed from the pores and surface of the biochar are dioxins.

30. The solution produced by the method of claim 24 from which the biochar has been separated.